Trap for hens&#39; nests.



w. H. COLLINS.

Y TRAP FOR HENS NESTS,.

APPLICATION man NOV.26, 1912.

1,139,849. Patented May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1' Swan/whet mym W. H. COLLINS.

TRAP FOR HENS' NESTS,

APPLICATION FILED NOV.26 1912.

1,139,849, Patented May 18. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., FHOTC-LITHOH WASHINGTON. D. L.

WILLIAM. H.

confirms, or MEBIDEN, oonNEoTIoUT.

v 'rnAr ronnnns uns'rs.

nisa'sae.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAMJ H. ConLINs,

a citizen of-the' United States,residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traps for Hens Nests, of which the following is a specification, a

This invention relates to traps for hens nests, the object of the invention being to provide a device of this character whichis adapted to be attached to any ordinary nest in line with-the door therein, and which will be automatically operated "by the passage of thefowl into the nest tozc'onfine the .fowl until released.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trap for hens nests which is simple of construction, efficient in operation, adapted for use without injury to the pass ing fowl, and capable of being reset for use after actuation in an easy and convenient manner. i

A still further object of the" invention is to provide a trap of the-characterdescribed which, if desired, may be made of theknockdown or collapsible type, and which-embodies automatic means for resetting the door latch mechanism when the door is opened. a

The invention consists ofthe features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view showing the device applied to a hens nest,'a portion" of the latter only being shown. Fig. 2'is a vertical longitudinal section through the trap, showing the door in raised position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the door isv dropped to entrap the hen. Fig. 4: is a sectional plan View on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5-5 ofv Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the trap casing, which may be made of sheet metal or other suitable material, and which may be of the folding, knock-down or collapsibletype, if desired. In the present instance, I have shown a non-collapsible trap, as any known mode of constructing the casing for a folding or collapsing action may be employed.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

desired,'may be provided with suitable pend-i ent supports or legs 3.

The open front of the cas ng forms-a doorway which .is provided at its sides with guide fiangest in which is slidably fitted a vertically movable door 5. The bottom wall 7 of the casing is formed with a stop flange 6 to limit the downward movement of the door, while the top wall. of the'casing is pro-1' vided'with a flange 7 adapted to sustain the door against rearward deflection when ele-' vated. The" door is provided'at its upper edge with a finger grip 8, which may be off any suitable construction.

a Patented May18,1915.

Application filed November 26, 191-2. Serial No. 733,695. I 1

Secured to the side wallsof the casing adv ja'cent the doorway therein is a cross .piece9 having anopening 10 therein to receive a latch pin 11 against which the lower edge of the door, when raised, isadapted to' rest to hold the door open. This latch 1 pin is formed by the forward'end of a longitudi nally slidinglatch rod 12 movable in a guide 13 secured to 'oneof the side walls of the casing and connected at its forward portion to the latch-pin by a right angularly bent arm-'14. I. i

The rear end of the sliding latch rod 12 is bent downwardly at an angle and pivotally connected with a setting lever '15, which lever is pivotally supported for movement longitudinally of the casing, and has an angularly bent and slotted or bifurcated lower end 16 slidably and pivotally engaging a rocker arm 17 bent at its upper end to provide a detent 18 whereby the degree of.

swinging movement of the lever is. regulated.

The rocker arm 17 1s secured to or forms part of one end of a rock shaft 19 j ournaled in suitable bearings upon the under side of the bottom wall of the casing adjacent the inner end thereof, which rock shaft forms a depressible trip device adapted when depressed to rock the arm 17 rearwardly and thus swing the setting lever rearwardly to slide the latch bar in such direction, and

thus retract the latch pin to permit the ele- I V in the opposite direction to raise the rock shaft and restore the latchpin to latching position, as will be readily understoodi' lf desired, however, a spring 20 may be prolvat'ed door to drop." The upperend of the lever projects eXteriorly of the casing, so

that it may be manually engaged and swung vided toconn'ect the lever with an adjacent portion of the casing,,so as to operate to normally hold the parts in set position,so as to provide for the automatic projection" or resettingof the latch pin to engage-under the" door, when the. latter is raised from a pivots 23,0f a type adapted to hold the'plate against-depression under its own weight when raised, while permitting it to-be readilyldepressed by a'passin'g fowl. The plate when, depressed oomesin Contact with and depresses the rock shaft, thus transferring motion to the latch mechanism to'ivithdraw bent flanges 24 having recesses 25 to receive the latch and permit the door to close,

whereby the hen will be entrapped or confined within" the nest until the door is opened. Preferably 'theIside walls ofthe opening QOIare formed with downwardly the shaft when elevated, so as to guide said 7 shaft: in its movements and prevent itrfrom being strained or be nt when in position to;

be tripped.

From'the'aforegoing description, taken in connection wlth the draw ngs, the construc-' tion andmode of use ofthe device willbe" obvious, and it'will-beseen that, the inven 'tion provides a trap ,Which may be secured to any ordinary nest, "and which consists of comparatively few parts liable to get out of order, so. that efficiency of operation is in- 7 olaimz- Y i A trap forlhens nests comprising asheet metal casing open, at its inner end and havingguideways atits-outer end and a slot in its bottom, said bottom having depending flanges at the sides and forward end of'saidc slot, a self-droppingdoor 'slidably mounted,

in said guides,-a crosspieoe' adjacent. the

doorway having a guide opening therein, a

-dep'ressible platform within the opening 111 thebottom of the, casing, said platform be ing pivoted at its forward edge to the said forward flange and guided, for movement between said side flanges, a rock shaft joui if'naled upon thezbottom of' the oasingand having -a crank j-portionwextending transversely of the slot beneathj said side-flanges and provided at one'end with a crank arm projecting upwardly intorthefcasing, an intermedially pivoted lever mounted upon the interior of'the' casingatone side thereof,

said lever having a lower long arm provided with an angularly, bent and forkedportionv 7 extending inwardly therefrom and slidablyf andpivotally engaging said crank arm and having an upper short arm projecting ex teriorly through the top of'the casing,a guide member upon the adjacent side of the casing,

a locking rod slidable through said guide member and pivotedat its inner end to-the lower arm of the lever between said forked portion and the pivot point of the lever,.said

rod having an angularly bent outerfe'nd "forming a detent movable, through, said guide opening in the cross bar, and'a-spring connecting the short arm of thelever with "thecasing and acting on said leverjto hold the platform normally elevated and the locking rodnormallyprojected. 1 In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature in presence of'two witnesses. i it WILLIAM H. COLLINS. Witnesses; r

G G JOHN J. NAsH.

Copies of'this patent may be: obtained for five cents each, by addressing the flo mmi s sioner of Patents,

Washington, G. 

